Isometric type exercising device



Feb. 20, 1968 H. L. MORRILL, JR 3,369,809

ISOMETRIC TYPE EXERCISING DEVICE Filed May-l1, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H G/0 INVENTOR. Marl. Maze/14d:

ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 20, 1968 H. L. MORRILL, JR 3,369,809

ISOMETRIC TYPE EXERCISING DEVICE Filed May 11, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 20f L L L. :o

HG a Z INVENTOR- /2 NW 22 #422) L. Mme/um L20 [7 P76. 6 BY ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,369,809 ISOMETRIC TYPE EXERCISING DEVICE Harry L.Morrill, Jr., P.O. Box 6467, Trails End Road, Marietta, Ga. 30060 FiledMay 11, 1965, Ser. No. 454,805 4 Claims. (Cl. 272-79) ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE This invention relates to exercising devices and moreparticularly to an exercising device adapted for both isometric andisotonic exercises.

Isometric exercising devices have been known gen erally in the prior artand customarily comprise springs or other elastic means against whichthe exerciser will pull or push. One difficulty common with all suchdevices is that the resilience of the elastic mechanism is preset andcannot be varied. Such characteristics customarily mean that aninexperienced exerciser is not sufliciently strong to operate the devicewhile a person of great strength finds that the mechanism is nochallenge. Another difficulty common with conventionally known isometricexercising devices is that they cannot be used for other forms ofexercises, such as isotonic exercises. It is accordingly a primaryobject of this invention to overcome the aforementioned difliculties.

It is an object of this invention to provide an exercising device whichmay be used to perform isometric exercises in which the resistance ofthe device depends upon the effort exerted by the exerciser.

Another object of this invention is to provide an exercising devicewhich is adapted for both isometric exercises and isotonic exercises.

A further object of this invention is to provide an exercising devicewhich is durable, compact, inexpensive and which requires nomaintenance.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a platform whichmay accommodate a heavy portion of an exercisers body, at least oneroller mounted on the platform, and a rope having handles at each endtrained over the roller.

Other objects and advantages of this invention reside in thecombinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features ofconstruction and operation, all as will be more fully pointed outhereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawings wherein there isshown preferred embodiments of this inventive concept.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view of an exerciser utilizing one embodiment of theinstant invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view of the device shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of the exerciser of FIGURE 2 takenalong line 3-3 thereof and viewing in the direction of the arrows;

3,369,809 Patented Feb. 20, 1968 FIGURE 4 is an enlarged plan view ofone end of the platform shown in FIGURE 3, certain parts being brokenaway for clarity of illustration;

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the device shown inFIGURE 4 taken along line 5-5 thereof and viewing in the direction ofthe arrows;

FIGURE 6 is a transverse sectional view of the device of FIGURE 4 takenalong line 6-6 thereof and viewin: in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 7 is a front view of an adjustable handle which may be used inconjunction with the exercising device shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 8 is a transverse sectional view of the handle shown in FIGURE 7,taken along line 8-8 thereof and viewing in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 9 is a front elevational view of another form of exercisingdevice in accordance with the principles of the instant invention;

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view of the exercising device shown in FIGURE 9taken along line 1010 thereof and viewing in the direction of thearrows;

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged plan view of the platform shown in FIGURE 10with certain parts being broken away for reasons of convenience; and

FIGURE 12 is a longitudinal sectional view of the platform shown inFIGURE 11 taken along line 12-12 thereof and viewing in the direction ofthe arrows.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, wherein like referencecharacters indicate like elements throughout the several views thereof,and particularly to FIGURES 1 to 8 inclusive, there is indicatedgenerally at 10 an exercising device comprising a planar rectangularplatform 12 having the rollers 14 mounted interiorly thereof, with arope 16 having a bight portion thereof trained around the rollers 14.

Platform 12 comprises a rectangular wooden piece about 22 inches long, 3inches wide, and /8 inch thick, having an opening 18 extendingtransversely therethrough, the opening having opposed ends communicatingwith the opposed sides of the platform 12 and positioned about one inchfrom the end of platform 12. Centrally located along the longitudinalaxis of platform 12 is a slot 20 about inch deep which connects recesses18, for, purposes more fully explained hereinafter. v I

As shown in FIGURES 4 to 6 inclusive, roller 14 is rotatably mounted onthe transverse axis of platform 12 by a pin 22 which extends from onelateral edge of platform 12, transversely through the opening 18, backinto platform 12 to a point adjacent the other lateral edge. As shown inFIGURES 4 and 5, roller 14 is adapted to freely rotate within theopening 18, and as such the diameter of the roller 14 is less than thethickness of the platform 12.

Roller 14 comprises a substantially cylindrical body having a peripheralindentation or continuous circumferential groove 24 which lies along thelongitudinal axis of platform 12 to coincide with an extension of theslot 20, the latter having a depth suflicient to freely receive aportion of the rope for longitudinal movement therein, as shown inFIGURES l and 6.

In the operation of the basic exercising device, the platform 12 isplaced on any convenient normally horizontal surface such as, forexample, a floor indicated by reference numeral F. Thereafter, the useror exerciser mounts or stands on the platform 12 to clampingly engagethe platform against the floor F. The user then grasps the ends of therope 16 and pulls upwardly thereon with both hands as shown in FIGURE 1.In so doing, the exerciser will be performing an isometric exercise ofthe type commonly known. If the exerciser desires to perform an isotonicexercise, it is necessary only to pull upwardly with one hand and allowthe other hand restin-gly to descend. Repeating this exercise with thehands alternating up and down movement provides an excellent isotonicexercise. As shown in FIGURE 1, handle means indicated generally at 26may be provided on the ends of rope 16 to adjust the length thereof inorder to exercise different muscles.

In providing an isotonic exercising device experience has shown thatrope 16 suffers an undue amount of wear. It has been found that thecause of this wear is the rubbing of rope 16 against platform 12 as rope16 engages and disengages roller 14. Accordingly, a vertical slot 28 isprovided on the outermost edge of the opening 18 positioned on thelongitudinal axis of platform 12 (FIGURE 4) and a slot 20 extendscentrally of platform 12 further than does indentation 24 (FIGURE 6).

Referring now to FIGURES 7 and 8 there are shown enlarged views ofhandle means 26 which comprises a conveniently shaped wooden handle 28having vertically spaced apart apertures 30 therein. Each of theapertures 30 comprises a centrally located minimum dimension with theaperture smoothingly diverging outwardly to the edges of handle 28. Asshown in FIGURES 2 and 8 rope 16 is threaded through lower aperture 30,then looped about the upper edge of handle 28 and then threaded throughupper aperture 30. There is thus provided a convenient means foradjusting the length of rope 16.

Referring now to FIGURES 9 to 12 inclusive, it is indicated generally at32 another form of exercising device in accordance with the principlesof the instant invention. Exercising device 32 comprises a rectangularplanar platform 34 having an opening 36 located at the intersection ofthe longitudinal and transverse planes of platform 34. A roller 38 ismounted Within recess 36 by a pin 40 in much the same manner that roller14 is mounted in the opening 18. Roller 38 is provided with a centrallydisposed peripheral indentation 42 for the reception of rope 16. Avertical slot 44 is positioned on each side of the opening 36 along thelongitudinal axis of platform 34 to obviate any unnecessary wearing ofrope 16 as previously discussed. It should be apparent that theoperation and use of exercising device 32 is substantially the same asthat of exercising device 10.

It will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved exercisingdevice which satisfies all the objects of the instant invention andothers, including many advantages of great practical utility andcommercial importance. 7

Since many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and sincemany modifications may be made of the embodiments hereinbefore shown anddescribed, it will be understood that all matter herein is to beinterpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. An exercising device to be mounted or stood upon to receive theentire weight of the body of the user, said device comprising:

an elongated substantially rectangular platform having a pair of opposedsides and ends, said platform being clampingly engageable between thefeet of the user and a normally horizontal suport means to releasablysecure said platform horizontally against its said support means;

said platform having an opening provided with a pair of opposed ends,said opening extending transverse ly through said platform andcommunicating at its said ends with the opposed sides of said platform;

a normally horizontal pin spanning said opening and having its endsfixedly secured in said platform;

a roller journalled for free rotation on said pin and being whollydisposed and contained within said opening, said roller having acontinuous circumferential groove formed therein and opening in thedirection of the longitudinal axis of said platform;

a length of rope, said rope having a bight portion trained about saidroller and disposed in said groove, said bight portion being entirelycontained within said opening and being freely movable therein, and saidrope having a pair of opposed ends extending through said opening andbeyond one side of said platform to be manually grasped and pulled bythe user to apply tension on said rope; and

said platform having slot means formed therein communicating with saidopening, said slot means confronting said roller groove in spacedrelationship relative thereto, and said slot means extending from end toend of said opening to loosely receive an adjacent portion of said ropedisposed proximate its bight portion therein to prevent undue frictionalwear on said rope against an adjacent side of said opening as said ropeis moved around said roller.

2. A device as described in claim 1 and handle means mounted on eachrope end, said handle means including means to adjust the effectivelength of said rope.

3. An exercising device to be mounted or stood upon to receive theentire weight of the body of the user, said device comprising:

an elongated substantially rectangular platform having a pair of opposedsides and ends, said platform being clampingly engageable between thefeet of the user and a normally horizontal support means to releasablysecure said platform horizontally against its said support means;

said platform being provided with a transversely extending openingadjacent, respectively, each end of said platform and being inwardlyspaced from its said adjacent end, each of said openings having opposedends communicating, respectively, with the opposed sides of saidplatform;

a normally horizontal pin for each opening, each of said pins spanningits respective opening and having its ends fixedly secured in saidplatform;

a roller journalled for free rotation on, respectively, each of saidpins, each of said rollers being Wholly disposed and contained withinits respective associated opening, each of said rollers having acontinuous circumferential groove formed therein and opening in thedirection of the longitudinal axis of said platform;

said platform having first slot means formed therein communicating with,respectively, each of said openings, said first slot means confrontingthe roller groove of each roller in spaced relationship relativethereto, said first slot means extending from end to end of itsassociated opening;

said platform having second slot means formed therein and extendinglongitudinally thereof, said second slot means opening in one side ofsaid platform and having opposed ends communicating with, respectively,each of said openings and the adjacent ends of said first slot means,said second slot means being aligned with said roller grooves;

a length of rope, said rope having a bight portion thereof disposed insaid second slot means and extending into each of said openings, saidbight portion further being trained about each of said rollers anddisposed in the respective groove thereof, said bight portion beingfreely movable through said second slot means;

said rope having a pair of opposed ends each of which extends throughone of said openings and beyond the other side of said platform to bemanually grasped 5 6 and pulled by the user to apply tension on saidrope; References Cited 33 1 1 I If f UNITED STATES PATENTS sal rst s 0tmeans oose y receiving p0 10118 0 sa1 rope therein which are proximateits said bight por- 3 22 2: 2? 7 3 tion to prevent undue frictional wearon said rope 5 3301555 1/1967 r "72 79 X against an adjacent side ofeach of said openings as 1 6 man said rope is pulled around saidrollers.

4. A device as defined in claim 3 and DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Exammer.

handle means mounted on each rope end, said handle BARRY SHAY,Examinermeans including means to adjust the elfective length 10 BROWNEAssistant Examiner of said rope.

